Portable fence.



R. w. FOLLMER.

PORTABLE FENCE.

PPLICATION FILED )AN.2,1917.

1,235,021 Patented July 31, i917.

fig J.

RALPH WARNER FOLLMER, OF PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.

PORTABLE FENCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial No. 140,295.

To all fr0/tom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH IVARNER FoLLMnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at 4:65 Lytton avenue, city of Palo Alto, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fences, of which the following is a specication.

It has for its ob-ject to produce a fence which is simple in construction, durable, may be easily and quickly erected and taken down, which is so constructed that the panels can not be inadvertently disconnected or separated from each other. A further object is to secure the panels in proper horizontal alinement so that one can not be raised independently of another by any animal, but can only be so raised after it has been purposely disconnected from both the adjacent panels. Other objects are to prevent the panels from sinking or settling into the ground, or from being accidentally tipped or blown over; also that panels may be so arranged that one panel may be supported at a greater distance above the surface of the ground than the adjoining panels, for the .purpose of allowing small stock to pass under the fence and also so arranged as to permit any panel to be disconnected and used as a gate if desired.

I accomplish this by the means disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification and in which- Figure 1 is an elevation showing a fence constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one end of a panel, showing the method of attaching the baseboards or supports to the panels.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view, showing the adjacent ends of two panels and the methods of supporting and connecting them.

Each panel has two eyebolts a the eyes of which are oblong at one end and two hooks or hook bolts b at the other end.

These are so placed that the hooks of one panel will engage or hook into the eyes or eyebolts of the adjoining panel, and after having been so placed a cotter pin or wire passed through the hole o in hook b will keep them from being unhooked until such cotter pin or wire has been removed. Each panel is held in an upright position when in use by the removable base board or support F 7 which projects on each side at right angles to the panel, and is held in place by the bottom member E of the panel passing through a hole in the base board as shown. There is also a notch as shown in the upper edge of the base board into which the lower part ofthe end member G fits. The lower part of this end member G is rabbeted out as shown in Fig. 8 to receive the base board. These base boards when in place hold the panel rigidly in an upright position. The base board projecting a few inches below the lower member E of the panel allows it to pass over irregularities of the ground easily and the eye being oblong, and the length of the hole in the eye being considerably greater than the diameter of the hook which passes through it allows sufficient play for hills or depressions of uneven or rolling ground. Each panel also has an upright strut K in the middle of its length. Brace wires d also run diagonally across each panel, passing through the ends of the end members, and through a hole in the center of the upright brace or strut above referred to. The use of these brace wires is to prevent the panels from racking and to hold them square and rigid. Additional hooks and eyes may be provided as required, so spaced upon the ends of certain panels as to allow these panels to be supported at a greater height above the ground than the balance of the fence, thereby allowing small stock to pass underneath the panel so elevated.

1^ and s are washers placed on eyebolts a to hold the eyes of the eyebolts at the proper distance from members Gn 7L is a gravity latch, preferably made of a flat bar of metal having a hole at one end to receive the eyebolt, movably suspended on the lower eyebolts a to lock the baseboard F in proper position when the fence is assembled and yet permitting the baseboard to be easily detached if desired by swinging the gravity latch h aside.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a portable fence, a panel provided with a bottom member, a vertical member, said vertical member being rabbeted at its lower end, and a supporting baseboard fitting in the rabbet and having an opening into which the bottom member extends, the baseboard being formed in its upper edge with a notch in which the vertical member of the panel is engaged.

2. In a portable fence, panels arranged end to end and each provided With a bottom member and a vertical member, said vertical member being rabbeted at its lower end, a supporting baseboard fitting in the rabbet of the vertical member of one panel, and having an opening into which the bottom member extends, the baseboard being ormedin its upper edgev with a notch in which said vertical member is engaged, eye bolts and 'hook bolts arranged in detachable Connection With each other and extending throughY corresponding vertical members 15 of adjacent panels, and a swinging latch mounted on one of the bolts for engagement with said supporting baseboard.

In Witness whereof, I have hereuntok setV my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this sixteenth day of November, 1916.

RALPH WARNER FOLLMER. Witnesses:

DAVID Gr. ROY, F. SCHNEIDER.

Copieslof this patntmay be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

